Deep in the vast universe, on a planet that has almost completely turned into a barren, lifeless world, ruins stretch as far as the eye can see.
From these ruins, it's obvious this planet once brimmed with life and prosperity.
Unfortunately, now it seems deserted — a dead star drifting in silence.
But it's not completely lifeless. In the heart of these endless ruins stands a tall, ancient throne. On this throne sits a massive figure clad in heavy armor. His skin is purple, his eyes cold and deep, holding a knowledge and power that seems limitless.
This is Thanos, one of the most powerful beings in the entire Marvel universe. Across the cosmos, there are only a handful of beings Thanos deems worthy of his concern.
He is a Titan. Long ago, Titan was a thriving world, but it was destroyed under the weight of its own overpopulation and greed. This tragedy cemented Thanos' ruthless dream — to balance the universe by controlling its population.
Though Titan is dead and silent now, to Thanos, it will always be home. If he wished, he could easily claim any vibrant planet as his domain. But he still chooses to stay here, among the ruins of his lost world.
Now, Thanos sits on his throne. His gaze seems to pierce through space itself, a cold glint flickering in his eyes.
His mind is fixed on Earth — on the battles unfolding there.
His goal is clear: gather all six Infinity Stones, forge the Infinity Gauntlet to wield their combined power, and wipe out half of all life across the universe. Only then, he believes, can balance be restored.
Yet even for Thanos, a being of such immense might, there are still obstacles in his path.
There is Odin, the All-Father of Asgard; Hela, the Goddess of Death who will soon break free; Ego, the Living Planet, counted among the Celestials; and the Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme guarding Earth's mystical realms.
So when Thanos gave the Mind Stone to Loki, it wasn't just a gift — Loki was sent ahead as his vanguard, to test the strength of Earth's defenders.
Before Thanos acts, he must know exactly how powerful his enemies are.
He isn't just strong — he is cunning and patient. He knows Odin is old and fading, and his time is almost over. As for Hela, Asgard will face her when the prophecy of Ragnarok comes to pass. He only needs to wait.
The Ancient One is busy holding off Dormammu, the dread lord of the Dark Dimension. There is no need to interfere for now.
And Ego? Thanos knows Ego's existence does not clash with his own goal.
He understands this universe well — when these powerful beings are gone or weakened, and can no longer stand in his way, that will be the perfect time to strike.
Until then, he will watch, wait, and measure his foes.
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On Earth, the battle was still raging. Although the trap Alex set up inside Stark Tower had nearly wiped out most of the Chitauri soldiers in one move, an endless stream of them kept pouring through the space portal.
For Alex and the other Avengers, the Chitauri seemed endless — wave after wave falling from the sky.
"Now's the perfect time to shut that portal…" Alex glanced up at the sky and the half-empty streets below, the thought flashing through his mind.
Without wasting a second, he used Soru, his swift step technique, and darted toward the rooftop of Stark Tower. In his grip, he still held the Mind Scepter, its tip flickering with strange energy.
The portal generator — powered by the Space Stone — was mounted right at the top of Stark Tower. Earlier, the energy shield around it had held strong even under heavy lightning strikes.
Alex knew exactly what he had to do: only the Mind Scepter could cut off the Space Stone's power. This machine drew its energy straight from the Space Stone, and only the might of the Infinity Stones could override it.
If the full Chitauri army were still here, Alex would never have gotten this chance. But now, most of them were gone — especially around Stark Tower. With the way clear, Alex had his window.
From a distance, Loki spotted Alex racing for the portal. His eyes narrowed, his expression shifting at once.
"Stop him! Now!" Loki roared, commanding the remaining Chitauri soldiers to rush at Alex.
At the same time, Loki jumped into a nearby craft, its engine flaring to life as he sped straight toward the rooftop.
Whoosh!But just then, a green blur shot through the air like a cannonball, crashing toward Loki at terrifying speed.
With a thunderous collision mid-air, the Hulk grabbed Loki and slammed him down like a ragdoll.
Boom!A huge crater cracked open where they hit, Loki's battered body lying at the deepest point.
The Hulk let out a bestial roar and dropped onto him, his massive fists pounding down like a rainstorm.
Loki's body was strong — even Alex had trouble breaking through his defenses — but against the unstoppable force of the Hulk, it was no contest.
Watching Hulk pummel Loki over and over was almost too brutal to look at directly.
Almost at the same time, Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, and Black Widow all landed at Alex's side, ready to hold off the Chitauri soldiers still pouring in.
With Thor and the others guarding him, Alex felt completely at ease to focus on the main task. He raised the Mind Scepter and pointed it straight at the portal generator.
Sure enough — the energy shield that could resist any attack crumbled under the raw power of the Mind Stone.
Buzz!But just as Alex was about to shut down the wormhole, a low hum echoed across the rooftop. Space itself twisted and cracked open above Stark Tower.
Out of that swirling gap stepped a tall figure — purple skin, cold eyes — and Alex's breath caught in his throat.
"Thanos?! He's here in person? That's not how the original story went at all!"
Alex stared in shock at the massive Titan stepping calmly through the portal. Was this it? Was this the ripple effect of all the changes he'd caused?